Mercer County Hoops HoF adding Jim Davis Memorial Scholarship
This past April, the Mercer County Basketball Hall of Fame welcomed its second class and as it heads toward inducting more county hoops legends next spring, the committee has added another honor.
Along with Shelly Dearden, Fred Dumont, George Lee, Dale Hodges Jack Adams, Tonya Grant, Harold Driver, David “Poppy” Sanderson and Mark Bass being inducting, the inaugural George O’Gorman Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Leah Johnson in April.
The George O’Gorman scholarship was initiated to honor a female player who best exemplified the many wonderful traits of George throughout his years covering girls basketball for The Trentonian.
The spring of 2020 will see the committee present the inaugural Jim Davis Memorial Scholarship that will be awarded to a male player who displays the great characteristics of the legendary Trentonian sportswriter.
“We as a committee are proud to honor Jim Davis by awarding a scholarship to a senior male basketball in his memory,” said Gary Bushelli, of the Hall of Fame Committee. “As the longtime sportswriter for the Trentonian, Jim was passionate about writing about high school basketball especially the Mercer County Tournament . It is long overdue that Jim be recognized for his dedication to the sport.”
Davis, who covered high school basketball, field hockey and Little League, had a great love of the hoops game and those who coached, played and officiated. He treated everyone fairly, and at the same, held everyone to the high standards that he expected of himself.
Since the 1970’s until his death in June of 2004, Davis was the premier high school boys basketball writer in the area.
He was a familiar sight at every huge game in Tornado Alley, the Iron Palace, the Emil Wandishin gymnasium and was well-respected throughout the state as one of the most knowledgeable scribes when it came to high school hoops.
But basketball wasn’t his only love.
Through his many years covering field hockey, the Central Jersey Field Hockey Coaches Association recognized Jim by naming their All-Star game in his honor. He also won the Positive Force Award from the CHJCA.
The District 12 Little League’s championship trophy bears the name of Jim Davis and a player from each District 12 Little League baseball and Softball team is honored with the Jim Davis Sportsmanship Award.
As the committee begins work on the third class to be inducted in 2020, the website mercercountybasketballhof.com allows individuals to submit nominations of potential inductees.
The amazing first two classes have produced some great moments and memories of basketball in Mercer County.
The event on April 7, 2019 at Mercer Oaks was a sellout and as the organization continues to grow, the addition of the Jim Davis Scholarship Award continues to honor the greats of the past with an eye on a very bright future for high school basketball in Mercer County.